The Muse
by Justine Heart
Summary: This is the backstory to my two Once Upon A Time characters. It leads into my story Magic Rifts and includes a great villan from a great Marvel comic/movie. This story has been waiting so long to get into the computer, and i was so proud to finally post it. This is not RUMBELLE, just a small warning.


The Muse

By Justine Heart

Part 1- Age 7

Rumplestilskin pulled back the drapes of his daughters' canopy bunk bed, letting the warm sun awaken them.

"C'mon papa," said one of the young brunettes. "Just a few more minutes." The other was bustling away making Rumple smile. The awakened brunette was Kathleen, who was the spitting image of her mother. But that is where the similarities ended. Kathleen held great power like her father and was ever so glad to learn more about it. The other twin was Justine. She too looked like Belle, but the similarities were far more than just looks. Though Justine was also powerful, she was more of a researcher like Belle. Both were very close and had shared much more than father and daughter. But both girls did love their parents. Justine loved her father for different reasons than magic. He was doting and funny, and gave her equal affection as her twin. Kathleen loved her mother because she was always on top of a problem with super speed and was firm but fair in her judgments.

Both girls loved one another as well. They were always seen together and had all the same friends. They were loved by many in Storybrooke, ME, also known as the New Enchanted Forest.

"Ready for another day of learning magic?" Rumple asked Kathleen. Kathleen's white smile shined in approval and they left Justine to sleep. Moments later, Belle entered the room.

"Justine you really do need to get up," she said her accented voice a warning tone.  
Justine's eyes flashed open and she was up like a shot. After dashing around dressing and tidying up, she looked up with a sheepish grin. "Afternoon, momma," she said with a golden grin. The grin broke Belle's firm glare, and she smiled at her daughter.

"Up late again?" Belle asked with a smirk, turning to leave with her young daughter in tow.

"Yes momma," Justine admitted.

"Cramming?"

"No just over excited."

"Your zeal for knowledge has always amazed me," Belle said with obvious admiration. "You are so much like me at your age." Belle's eyes saddened. Justine worried for her mother at times. She knew Belle resented her and Kathleen's father for things done before they were born, and though the reasons were hidden, Justine believed it dealt with her mother and father's past which was a fairly extensive one.

"Justine what were you studying so late last night?" Belle asked as they reached the enormous library of the mansion.

"The muses," Justine stated.

"Good, and what muse caught your interest the most?"

"The Muse Calliope, the muse of Justice." Belle nodded for her daughter to continue. "The Muse of Justice, one of the nine muses, inspired law, righteousness, and goodness."

"Very good," Belle commended. Justine smiled her golden smile, and curtsied. Belle hugged her daughter with pride. Moments later, Rumple entered the room with a bounding Kathleen following him. She was singing and chanting away, and Rumple walked up to Belle to embrace her. Belle avoided the embrace and gave him an icy look. Rumple sighed, but instead hugged Justine.

"How is my young bookworm today?" he asked, again getting a steely glare from Belle. Justine looked at her father and shook her head.

"Not good?" He asked, suddenly concerned with his daughters health. Justine shook her head again and signaled in the direction of Belle. Rumple nodded in understanding. "Well how goes the study session, then?"

"She is a whiz as usual," Belle interjected with disdain. The two stared at one another again, the tension in the room growing. Justine, now at her mother's side behind the desk, started looking at something curious.

"Momma?" she said, looking at a volume on her mother's desk. Slowly bringing her attention to her daughter, looked in the direction of what the child was also looking at. A volume she had never seen before was lying on top of everything.

"This is strange," Belle mumbled dragging it over the crowded surface. Justine helped her mother open the very heavy cover.

"The Tenth Muse?" Belle questioned. She looked at her daughter, who shrugged . "Rumple, did you have something to do with this?" she asked, not sounding angry for once. Looking at him, she knew he was as confused as she was. Suddenly Kathleen screamed. Both parents leapt to the young girl to calm her.

"Shhh shhhh, dearie," coaxed Rumple to calm the child. Both parents despaired as the little girl shook and cried. Justine looked perplexed over at a corner in the room. She thought she saw a man smiling darkly the group.

"Papa, who is that?" she asked as she pointed to the corner of the room.

"Who are you-?" Rumple started to ask and then stopped. Rumple stared in fear and surprise as he turned pale. "Belle get the girls out of here at once." Belle turned from her husband to look in the direction, but saw nothing. Though she detested him more and more these days, Belle now worried for her husband's sanity. But knowing her husband didn't turn pale for no reason, she scurried Justine out of the room as she carried Kathleen out. As they exited the library, Belle heard Kathleen slightly giggle and her husband's hushed whisper, "So you returned for payment?" just before the door shut.

Part 2- Age 15

"Happy Birthday!" Justine squealed as she ran around the room. Kathleen groaned and stuffed her head under her pillow. The roles had changed in the passing years. Kathleen was darker now, and moodier. Justine was now always light and happy. Both had grown in power, but Justine still steered towards her mother, and magic was still more suited for Kathleen. But as time wore on, Rumple started to limit her knowledge, feeling she was delving too deep.

Today was their birthday, though, so he thought to surprise both his girls with a bit of a potions lesson. Rumple entered the room, and Justine ran into him like a freight train off the track. Rumple smiled down at the cherub and rubbed her face lightly.

"Hey there, dearie, be careful," Rumple warned in a mocking tone. "Not quite as agile as I used to be." Kathleen groaned, but had given up on sleep by now. As she got up, Rumple noticed she was not her sister's twin that was equally fun loving. Hoping this wouldn't worsen, he decided to lighten everyone's mood.

"Well I know today is a very special day for you both, so I planned a special surprise for the two of you today. With your mother's consent, you are going to learn a new potion today." Kathleen's mood immediately changed and she was now dressed in a gold mini-dress, black pumps and black rose earrings. Rumple was amazed at the mood change and the speed of Kathleen's dressing. Justine was wearing a down-to-earth, long, lavender gown, with leather knee high boots; a thin, gold chain around her neck, and simple gold earrings.

"Lead the way, papa," both girls chorused, giggling at the sound of their voices in stereo. Only slightly worried now, Rumple led the way towards his chemical lab in the attic. As they walked through the large mansion, Rumple remembered how happy he and Belle had once been. If it hadn't been for that one instance where he bit off more than he could chew, she wouldn't be so estranged from him. The mansion had been his way of smoothing things over after the twins were born. He let her have the gigantic library where they danced their first dance as man and wife. Though they had separate rooms, he would sometimes appear in her room at night just to watch her sleep. She was always his angel when she slept. At least he could still show her some respect by never disturbing her slumber.

As they made their way to the attic Justine heard Kathleen talking quietly to herself and every once in a while she would giggle or laugh at some private joke. Justine also worried for her sister. They had taken different paths now, and weren't as close as they had been as children. As much as she hated to admit it, Justine knew something was happening to her sister and she felt the darkness inside her twin. This was one of the few times Justine saw a bit of the light creep in. Genuine happiness that filled both of them up.

They entered their father's study and lab, being extra careful around the glass beakers and tubes all around. Justine didn't venture up to this room very much. When she was five or so, she had snuck up to this room and tried to create a surprise for her father. She had succeeded in the fact that she had permanently colored her teeth gold, so when she revealed the backfire her parents didn't scold her much. But her golden teeth were her best asset now as no one, not even Rumple, could reverse it or replicate it. Kathleen felt like she was saying hello to an old friend she hadn't seen in a long time, and she welcomed the familiarity with open arms. Both girls looked at their father with expectation.

"So what is the potion we are creating, papa?" Justine asked with curiosity. Rumple smiled.

"A very special one, dearie," Rumple told his daughter. "This is a potion to turn back the hands of time. This spell isn't designed to work, but it is designed to teach us that responsibility is always ours. Remember girls, magic always comes with a price."

"Why create it then?" Kathleen pouted.

"Because it's something fun to do on your special day, for one. Two, I want you to know when to use power responsibly. It's not enough that I help you become more powerful, but showing you when power is to be used and when it is not." Rumple now walked over to the slightly older twin, embracing her. Kathleen was taken off guard by the show of affection, but embraced her father willingly. Looking at her with a smile, he turned to his desk. Shaking off the moment, Kathleen got her bearings back and stood astutely across from her sister. Justine had a dopey look on her face, making her sister roll her eyes.

"Okay so you have the ingredients in front of you: a book for knowledge, a dagger for courage, a heart for desire and a baby animal for renewal. Take a page from the book, and put it in your large beaker, then gently add the dagger, next add the heart." Justine cut him off there.

"This isn't a person's heart ? Is it, papa?" she asked, fearful.

"No, my dearest, these are from some stags I hunted in the woods. This potion is not going to actually work, I am just showing you how to make it in case of an emergency. In order for it to really work you would need the heart of someone you despised and an actual child. You would also need the brain of someone and the courage of someone. All of which are very hard to come by. This is just to show you how to put this spell together."

Both girls nodded as they took in the information, Kathleen smiling more and more darkly as they got deeper into the spell. Rumple's expression grew more worried but he could not stop the spell. Justine was ready for the next step, when she felt something grip her mind and freeze her. Rumple noticed her eyes as they glazed over and then Justine crumpled to the floor. Kathleen looked at her father with fear and the older man went to pick up the other girl. Gently, Rumple picked up his daughter, and moved her over to a small love seat across from the desk. Both he and her sister waited until she woke up. Belle could be heard coming up the stairs, complaining about the smell. As she appeared, she saw the two looking worriedly over a small figure in the leather seat.

"What did you two do to her?!" she yelled, running over to the young girl. They now all watched in horrified anticipation as they waited for the girl to awaken. What seemed like hours later, Justine stirred, moaning in pain as she slowly rose from the sofa. There was a large sigh of relief.

Justine looked around disoriented. "What the heck happened?" She questioned the faces of her family.

"You collapsed, dearie," Rumple explained.

"It was quite sudden," Kathleen, jumped in, "your eyes totally glazed over and you just fell."

"All I remember is papa talking about how this wasn't supposed to actually work and then I blacked out," Justine said, as if trying to remember what had happened.

"That's it!" Belle said. "No more magic. It's going to end up killing these girls, Rumple!"

"Momma, " Justine broke in, "don't be mad at papa. It was not his fault. Something magic did take hold of me, but I think I fought it off. It wasn't papa's fault." Belle softened at her daughter's plea, but still stared daggers into her husband. Meanwhile, Kathleen had left the group and descended to the lower level of the mansion. Looking at the vial she had in her hand, she smiled darkly.

"Soon, my love," she whispered, "soon you will have your revenge."

Part 3- Age 18

Justine hurriedly looked for the answer to her conundrum. Kathleen was rapidly turning darker and turning towards madness almost. The questions in Justine's mind were rolling loudly around like boulders falling in an avalanche. Why did this happen? She thought. Why you, Kathleen?

Since the day she collapsed, Justine noticed the severe mood changes in her sister. They no longer shared deep conversations or shared the same friends. Kathleen's wardrobe now contained all sorts of slinky black leather and gold mini-dresses. And her shoes were also getting less practical. Stiletto platforms with 6 inch heels. Her mother was also not pleased, but there were changes with her that Justine just couldn't fathom. After the day in the study, Belle closed herself off from Rumple completely, and also seemed to fall into a similar dark spiral of madness.

Both women were dear to Justine and she would find a way to bring them back to reality, she just had to figure out what caused the mad spiral into oblivion.

"You won't find what you are looking for in that book," a deep voice resounded from afar. Justine stopped, and looked around. She knew no one was in the mansion today, which she was glad for. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightening and a loud boom. In front of the desk stood a beautiful man with golden armor, a red cape and a large hammer with a lightning bolt on it. Looking at him curiously, Justine came around from behind the desk.

"Thor?" Justine asked. The handsome man smiled at the young girl.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Justine," Thor's deep voice rumbled again, "but then again you hardly needed to introduce yourself. I have watched over your family for many years."

"That would explain why the hammer disappeared at one point," Justine said. The shock of the entrance was still finding its way through her brain. "What are you doing in my family's study?"

"My brother," Thor said, disappointment ringing in his voice.

"Your brother? As in Loki?" Thor only nodded. Justine looked at Thor, then at the desk, then back at Thor again. "Why do I have a sneaking suspicion my father is involved?"

"You don't miss much," Thor said.

"I am naturally good at deduction," replied Justine. She made her way around the desk again. "So what does Loki have to do with my father? Or do I want to know?"

"Let's just say Loki felt double crossed in a deal that was made fair and square between your father and the Gods of Asgard." Asgard was fairly high up on the scale, so if those guys wanted a piece of him, Justine knew something went awry somewhere.

"You said I was looking in the wrong volume," she continued as she searched over the crowded desk. Years of research for a cure to her sister's change overflowed onto the floor of the study. Books and papers covered the once cleared space her mother usually kept before she also slipped away.

"There was a volume that you saw when you were much younger, I believe," Thor said. Justine's eyes lit up and she practically floated to the bookcase of larger volumes. She pulled at the binding but it wouldn't budge from its nesting spot in the shelf.

"Could I get some help please?" Justine asked, frustration getting the better of her. Thor walked over to her and easily took the book and set it on the desk, almost breaking the wooden piece of furniture with its weight. "Thank you," said Justine said as she picked herself off the ground. She walked over to the large volume, looking over the vast cover. It read the "The Tenth Muse" on the cover in ornate black onyx lettering. Justine opened the book and read aloud.

" _There is rumor of a tenth muse, named Loki,"_ Justine's voice shook with emotion. _"A malevolent spirit who's so called inspiration is bringing about mischievousness, deviousness, and impish acts. Although he is more often referred to in Norse mythology, other cultures revered him either as a demon or a god._ " Thor came up behind Justine, who was now reading silently as tears fell over her cheeks. He gently put a hand on her back as she wept over the book.

"This is what is attacking my family?" She asked between sobs, she looked behind her to see him looking at her with concern. Thor nodded, his eyes burning with anger. He knew her family did not deserve to be tortured needlessly. Loki could not be reined in though. Not when he had it in his mind that there was a double cross going on; even if there wasn't.

"My brother is somewhat of a firestarter," Thor admitted. "Once he starts going it takes a lot to put him out. But I know you can find a way, Lady Justine. I have great faith in you."

"You should be talking to my mother, really," Justine admitted through tears. "I don't have access to the power of knowledge she does."

"Well that would have been true if my brother hadn't decided to drive her mad," Thor said. "Justine you have to believe me when I tell you, you are the last and only true hope for your family." Justine looked at him again, and almost smiled.

"That sounds pretty important," she said softly.

"Trust me," Thor said. "You are supposed to be very powerful in the future, but that will crumble if you can't stop my brother and your sister."

"I had a dream once that you came to me and bestowed power on me," Justine started.

"Are you sure that was really a dream?"

"I never rule anything out," Justine smirked in a familiar way.

"What happened after that?"

"I felt warm and could see the goodness in people, and also the darkness. When the darkness started taking over Kathleen, I couldn't start studying fast enough. I put everything into finding a cure for her. Now I know the only cure is to fight your brother. But how do I do that?" Thor sighed.

"I can't tell you how," Thor confessed, and put a hand on her shoulder. "But I know you will find you are more powerful than anyone in your bloodline. Just believe in yourself. But I must be off. I may not return, so farewell my lady. I leave things to you." With a massive crash, Thor was gone.

"So Loki, you wanna fight?" Justine asked into the lonely room. "Well you got one coming." Justine then started to prepare for battle against the God.

Part 4- Age 26

"Justine!" Rumple shouted in panic. He held Belle's lifeless, bloody body close to him. Her wrists were slit, and she was wet from the bath. He cried over his now dead wife's body, protecting her modesty though it didn't really matter.

"What?!" Justine demanded as she entered her parent's bathroom. She was shocked at the scene but the surprise was far less than she anticipated. She had been seeing the signs of suicide from her mother from years past. The ever-growing despondence; the negativity growing between her parents; the lack of faith in anyone or anything. All of that finally came to a point, and she knew her mother couldn't take it any longer. Loki had won again. It was time to let her father in on the game plan.

Justine sighed as she knelt next to her weeping father. "I know this is hard to hear, papa, "she whispered. "But I saw this coming from a mile away. I have a feeling you did too. She is at peace now. It's time to let her go."

"But she's your mother," Rumple said, "how can I let the mother of my children go so easily?"

"When you know what I know, you will come to understand that we have to grieve later and look to the battle ahead."

"Battle?" Rumple asked, confused and starting to worry for his daughter's sanity. He looked at her, but though she looked sad she also looked determined and purposeful. He knew there was something more on her mind than just this event. "Justine, I don't understand."

"Help me with her body and cleaning up, and after we have arranged her burial, we will continue this conversation in the library.

After some time of cleaning up and making the proper arrangements, Rumple and Justine came down to Belle's gigantic study. Justine's looks and mood had now changed from happy-go-lucky to somber and deliberate over the last few years. She was now always dressed in a military style leather jacket, a maroon tunic underneath, and eggplant purple leggings. She also only wore boots anymore. Either it was a pair of brown leather boots, or a pair of black boots, with metal studs down the back. Both looked authoritative and intimidating and she had the entire town under her thumb as the new sheriff. No one messed with her, least of all her sister, though she would never admit it.

"Father," she started, awkwardly, "I know why mother killed herself."

"You know why?"

"Loki killed her," Justine continued. She looked up to see her father frozen in place.

"How do you know that name?"

"Never mind that, the important part is I need your help in at least holding him back," Justine explained.

"I won't go any further until you tell me how you know about Loki," Rumple stated firmly.

"As you wish," Justine sighed. "At the age of 18, Thor came to me and told me Loki was attacking our family for some "deal gone wrong" between you and him or you and Asgard. That was never made clear to me. Thor understood that there was no wrongdoing, but Loki still feels unjustified until you fully pay for whatever you did. Somehow he is controlling Kathleen and he is what was poisoning mother's mind to kill herself."

Though this answer was satisfactory to Rumple he still found something lacking to his daughter's story. Like her sudden somber mood change. He moved towards Justine, who stood by the desk.

"But why did you suddenly change?" Rumple asked, reaching her and putting his hand on her shoulder. Justine looked at him, her resolve starting to break. Tears leaked from her eyes and over her cheeks as the dam of pent up emotion broke the flood gates. Wordlessly she embraced her father, and wept. He knew the answer, and he knew what would be needed to fix this.

"I'm so sorry. Papa," Justine sobbed. "I am not built for this. Anger and negativity were never in my blood. So much animosity, I just can't take it. I can't be little Miss happy-go-lucky though because Loki could attack either of us at any moment. We are the only two left in his way." She unzipped the tight jacket as she pulled away from him, revealing her tunic underneath. It was very tattered and torn. She needed a new one, desperately. The jacket was kinda on the ratty side from wear alone. Her brown boots were the only thing that made her look like she had some stature.

"We will figure this out, dearie, " Rumple said, trying to soothe the girl. "You have your mother's brain. " Justine seemed to stop in mid sob at the end of his sentence.

"What did you just say, dad?"

"You have your mother's brain, why did I say something wrong?"

"I am afraid it was actually right. We have to find mom's body, because I have a feeling I know what is going on now. And it is not good."

"Well, well, well," a high pitched male voice echoed throughout the room. Justine and Rumple looked around them as maniacal, disembodied laughter surrounded them . Suddenly a man appeared in the center of the room, dressed in gold and green armor, also wearing gold horns on his head. His blazing blue eyes cut through Justine like ice, and he held a strange sort of scepter in his hand. "So you finally figured it out?" the intruder hissed.

"Justine what is he talking about?" Rumple asked, gulping hard.

"You can't get away with this!" Justine yelled to the intruder. "I know what you want to do, but there is no way you will get this to happen. You can't change time."

"We'll see about that," he said. Suddenly, Justine saw Kathleen appear in a puff of golden smoke. Her hands were bloody as she handed something fragile looking to the man. Justine groaned as she realized she was too late. Rumple was watching, dumbfounded as realization hit him.

"Kathleen," he cried out, "how could you? Your own mother's brain?"

"She wasn't using it anymore," Kathleen joked. She smiled up at the man who looked at her with pride and lust.

"Well done, my love," he said. He bent over and kissed her with passion, making Rumple and Justine want to throw up.

"How could you?!" Justine screamed at her sister.

"Easily, enough," Kathleen spat in her twin's direction. Justine could see the girl was not under any influence but her own, and she was in complete control. She actually wanted this. It stabbed into Justine's heart deeply. She thought all this time her sister had been under some sort of spell, manipulated in her mind. But this was a completely different situation. Justine glared at the god in her presence.

"I will stop you!" She declared.

"So bold," Loki quipped, "but we have so much to do before the final battle. Come Kathleen, we have much more work to do." With that the two disappeared in each other's arms, leaving the other two in stunned, horrified silence. Justine sighed in defeat, Rumple looked puzzled and annoyed.

"I can't believe I didn't see this coming," Justine said slumping in the over-stuffed recliner by the fireplace.

"See what coming?" Rumple asked his daughter, crossing the room.

"The time travel spell, the one you taught us for our 15th birthday. They are going to enact that." Rumple stayed quiet. Justine continued. "They plan on going back in time for some reason."

"To destroy me and Belle," Rumple said. "It's only a matter of time till they have all the ingredients. They need a symbol of renewal, a heart of the one they want to destroy, and a symbol of courage."

"I will protect your heart at all costs father," Justine vowed. "Loki and Kathleen will never get near it."

"I know this, dearie," Rumple said sitting on the sofa adjacent to the recliner, "I know."

Part 5- Age 33

Kathleen was now dressed to look like her sister, but with less color. Much less. She looked at herself and grimaced at the sight _. 'Justine,'_ she thought, ' _you really need a stylist.'_ High pony-tail, glasses, knee high boots, tunic, and leather jacket-all in the stark color of white. Whether the plan would work, she had no clue. Going back to destroy her parents and their future was a tall order. Though she had wanted to back out and spend a lifetime with Loki now, she knew the existence of Justine was much too dangerous and she must be erased from time- even if that meant erasing herself.

"Second thoughts?" Loki's voice whispered, interrupting her thoughts. His arms snaked around her and she moaned loudly has his hot mouth laid kisses over her neck.

"Only slightly," Kathleen answered truthfully. The fog in her brain quickly melted her remaining doubts.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way either," he said, "but if Rumple lives in any time, I will never be at peace. You know how important this is. And remember, all you have to do is kill one and it will be done. Going to the past is easy, finding them is easy, killing only one may not be so easy and will destroy you. "

"But they weren't always together themselves," Kathleen remembered.

"As long as one of them dies, we won't have anything to worry about."

"You mean you won't," Kathleen corrected him, turning to give him a sad smile. Loki sighed. He loved Kathleen with all his heart, and sacrificing her for his peace was breaking it. In any other time, he would have made her his lover on earth and they might even have a family. But because of Rumple's double cross, this could not be. This annoyed him to no end.

"Your father is so good at being annoying," Loki said with an edge to his voice. Kathleen 's eyes shot downcast to the floor. When the god was mad, she knew not to trifle with him. Loki brought her head up with a finger under her chin, and smiled at her. "But he did well with your training. Now come, the spell is almost ready to begin, we just need one more thing… are you ready to retrieve it?"

"As I'll ever be," Kathleen said, determination set in her voice. She disappeared in a puff of yellow smoke as Loki began his attack on Justine.

Justine had finally taken a break from being sheriff and also watching over her father like a hawk. She sat in her mother's rose garden, pruning some roses for the vase in the library. The last 7 years had been stressful, but in the last 2 two the tension seemed to die down. She and her father were able to let their guard down a bit more and today they needed some space for once. Justine loved the way the roses smelled and the soft petals felt silky against her skin. She was careful not to get stuck by thorns and felt her lot of blooms would be a nice refreshing touch for the room. And then she blacked out.

"Why hello Justine, " came a familiar voice inside her mind. Justine awoke in darkness, like a cave or darkened room.

"Where am I?" She asked, her head aching and she was still disoriented. Clearly she was not outside still, but yet she still felt cool air on her body. She knew Loki was attacking from some remote area, but yet did not know if she were trapped in her own psyche or if she physically was somewhere else.

"Let's just say I wanted to keep you out of the way," Loki hissed all around her.

"That leaves me with nothing to go on," Justine quipped.

"I'm good at riddles."

"Or maybe just distractions."

"Well, you've been distracted enough to not protect your father." Justine's eyes widened in fear.

"What are you doing to him?" she asked frantically. She could feel cool air still. She could still breathe. Something told her she wasn't exactly safe and warm inside somewhere. Loki wasn't going to give anything away, she knew that. She struggled with her thoughts to keep calm and told herself to settle down and clear her mind, but kept running into this same scenario every time.

"You trapped me in my own mind?"

"Well," Loki said mockingly impressed. "The daughter of the Dark One is quite a remarkable pupil. Kathleen underestimates her sister quite a bit."

"I'm not near as smart as my mother was, at least until you killed her!" Justine called out to the voice. There was silence for a moment, and then raucous laughter. Justine was furious, mostly with herself to have let her guard down. ' _So foolish_ ,' she thought.

"You were not foolish, you just lost the strength." The high pitched voice said. "You almost outlasted me. I count you as one of my strongest opponents. Your father as well. But now we have what we need. So I will bid you adieu. Forever!" Justine woke up outside. Night had fallen. She knew her father was dead or dying at this point, but didn't care she would still sit next to him as the end came. Walking into the mansion's large library, she saw him lying motionless on the sofa across from the fireplace. Running to her father's side she inwardly begged for him to still be alive.

"Justine," he whispered softly, as she knelt at his side. Tears streamed down her face and she grabbed his hand.

"Papa," she cried, "I'm sorry, I should have been here. I should have protected your heart."

"There was nothing you could have done, dearie," Rumple tried to soothe weakly. "But we have little time before Kathleen enacts the spell. I need you to follow her. If you reach her before she leaves, put a binding spell on the both of you so you can't tell anyone why you are really there. Once that happens, you can follow her to the time she has chosen. " He coughed and some blood spilled out of his mouth. Justine squeezed his hand as she saw him fading.

"Papa, I promise to right this wrong. I won't let Loki win!"

"Justine, I…love… you." And with that, Rumplestilskin was dead. Justine roared in fury, tears pouring out of her eyes. But instead of wallowing, she felt the need to destroy something. And she knew exactly where to go.

"Are you ready to go my darling?" Loki asked, a bemused smile on his face.

"As I'll ever be!" Kathleen said, knowing her life would be possibly over with this adventure. ' _The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the one_ ,' she reminded herself. She smiled back at her love and nodded. As she was about to step into the calmness of the portal to the past, Justine interrupted her.

"Kathleen!" She shouted at her sister, making the other girl turn in surprise. Annoyed Kathleen, stood across the room next to the open portal of time.

"Justine," she said, "you've lost. Give up already! Just give up and die!"

"Never! And I will not let you ruin our future before it can even begin! Kathleen I bind you from being able to tell a living soul why you have traveled through time. I bind you from endangering yourself! I bind you from endangering me!"

"That's it?!" Kathleen asked, "Wow that's pathetic. You couldn't be more foolish." With that, she turned and walked into the portal, taking her back in time. Justine knew she wouldn't have much time and ran at the portal, just moments before it disappeared.

Hours later she found herself outside. Her head felt like it was split in two and her vision was hazy at best. She groaned as she tried to get her bearings. She heard rustling in the bushes across the street and barely escaped an arrow being shot at her.

"Dammit Robin, take it easy!" she yelled. A flabbergasted young man crossed the street to her side. As Justine's haziness lifted she realized she was on the right side of the town line. She smiled and thanked the Asgardians, as if they had anything to do with it. She was on the ground, dressed in a white version of her normal ensemble, and she could feel the blood trickling from a wound on her head. It was dusk now and the low light made it difficult to see, but she could sense the bewilderment of the famous thief.

"Justine?" he asked, "Is that you?" ' _You went as far as to use my name?_ ' Justine thought bitterly.

"Yes," Justine said. "But this time it's the real me."

"Huh?" Robin asked.

"I'll explain as we get into town," Justine said, "but first we need to talk to your girlfriend or Mary Margaret. Something is about to hit this town like nothing else."

And so continues the saga, into MAGIC RIFTS!


End file.
